Vent Fields

Welcome to the InterRidge Global Database of Active Submarine Hydrothermal Vent Fields (the “InterRidge Vents Database”).
To sort the list of Vent Fields, click on a column header.
To view details for a specific Vent Field, click on the Name ID.
To view the subset of Vent Fields that contain a specific category, click on the category (for example, "active, confirmed" in the "Activity" column).

Vent Field Name ID Activity Tectonic Settingsort descending Region Latitude Longitude Maximum or Single Reported Depth Year and How Discovered
Nifonea Ridge active, confirmed back-arc spreading center New Hebrides back-arc -18.1330 169.5170 1900 2001 towed video; 2013 ROV Kiel 6000 black smokers
ESR, E5 active, inferred back-arc spreading center East Scotia Ridge -57.5000 -30.2000 3000 1999 plume only
Marsili active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Tyrrhenian Back-Arc Basin, Tyrrhenian Sea 39.2600 14.3780 800 2006 ROV Cherokee; 1989 shimmering water but did not confirm activity
ABE active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -20.7619 -176.1910 2220 2004 AUV ABE; 2004 plume only on previous cruise
Calypso Vents active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Taupo Volcanic Zone -37.6800 177.1170 200 1989 submersible Soucoup
VFR, ELSC7 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -22.8833 -176.7500 2050 2009 plume and dredge only
Higa active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 26.5550 126.2233 1485 2015 ROV Kaiko
Kueishan Island active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 24.8333 121.9500 30 1999, likely by SCUBA
Natsushima 84-1 Knoll active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 27.5750 127.1417 1600 1986 submersible Shinkai 2000
Mariana Trough, 18.2 N active, inferred back-arc spreading center Mariana Trough 18.1080 144.7380 3916 2015 plume only
MTJ, T08C05 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -15.5134 -174.7407 2100 2008 plume only
VFR, plume 12 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -21.7300 -176.4530 1910 2004 plume only
Tangyin active, inferred back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 25.0667 122.5667 1206 2014 likely by dredging or ROV during the HOBAB3 cruise on R/V Kexue
ESR, E9 active, confirmed back-arc spreading center East Scotia Ridge -60.0500 -29.9300 2402 2009 towed video; 1999 plume only; 2010 ROV Isis
Si'iSi'i active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -22.2900 -176.6290 1950 2008 commercial ROV; 2003 plume only
Solwara 11 active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Manus Basin -3.1667 147.1917 1500 2008 commercial ROV; 2000 submersible Nautile did not confirm activity
Kueishan Island, offshore active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 24.8333 122.0000 1200 2008 or earlier
NELSC, T08C09 and T08C18 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -15.4030 -174.2630 1800 2008 plume only
Tow Cam active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -20.3169 -176.1367 2700 2004 AUV ABE; 2004 plume only on previous cruise
MTJ, T08C03 and T08C04 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -15.6100 -174.8200 2300 2008 plume only
NE Pual active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Manus Basin -3.6754 151.7272 1875 2006 ROV Jason II
east of Central Spreading Ridge inactive back-arc spreading center North Fiji Basin -15.4510 174.6902 3000 NotProvided
VFR, plume 3 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -22.4000 -176.6790 1980 2004 plume only
Hafa Adai active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Mariana Trough 16.9570 144.8680 3294 2016 ROV Deep Discoverer; 2015 AUV Sentry plume mapping
Snail active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Mariana Trough 12.9533 143.6200 2880 2003 ROV Jason II; 2003 plume only
Minami-Ensei Knoll active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 28.3917 127.6417 740 1988 deep tow TV surveys followed by submersible Shinkai 2000; 1986 dredged Calyptogena shells
Parece Vela Ridge, Philippine Sea inactive back-arc spreading center Parece Vela Basin 16.0000 139.1667 5000 NotProvided
Solwara 12 inactive back-arc spreading center Manus Basin -3.7086 151.8834 1920 2009 commercial ROV Fugro FV300 inactive
Hawaiian Ridge inactive intra-plate volcano Central Pacific 15.0000 -157.5000 5000 1987 or earlier
Vailulu'u Seamount active, confirmed intra-plate volcano Central Pacific -14.2167 -169.0667 1000 2005 submersible Pisces V; 2000 plume only

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